Jan 24, 2011

I have a long list of things I really want to blog about, but I just can't seem to find the time! Instead of being MIA I've decided to give you peek inside the madness. Here's what I've been up to before work, after work and on the weekends.

SweatshoppingEvery six months I participate in the POOL Trade Show which is wholesale show in Las Vegas where buyers from boutiques and larger stores come to view and hopefully decide to carry items from your line. I'm in the cash and carry section of the show with the other smaller, handmade brands. This means that unlike all of the other brands that just bring samples and take orders for delivery later, we sell on site. So unlike consumer shows where people buy a few things at a time, buyers may want to buy 30 hair clips, 40 rings, and 15 watch necklaces, for example. So in order to prepare for this show I have to sweatshop myself like crazy in order to be ready with lots and lots of product. I also design new fabric for each show and try to bring new products as well so it's definitely a major undertaking each time. I've already decided that I'll be taking August off from POOL in order to keep myself sane during a summer filled with out of town weddings and a wedding of my own to plan. Knowing that I don't have to prep for another one of these shows for a year makes the craziness a little more bearable.

Duncan and I cranked out 200 magnets for our friends at Love Me Sailor Photography this weekend. They're participating in a fabulous wedding event and needed something fun to spice up their marketing materials. I'm so excited to see their business rapidly take off. It's gonna happen any second now I can just feel it!

Wedding PlanningI completed our Save the Date design for OUR wedding! I thought this process would be impossible since I've created so many magnets and save the dates for other people. How could I decide on one design for us that I'd be happy to stick with? Well one night I just went for it and it all came really easily. Instead of going back and forth and giving myself a ton of options we decided to embrace the first design and run with it. We took a trip to Paper Source last weekend and bought the envelopes, labels and other supplies we needed. Next up will be to get the cards printed and produce the Vivi Dot magnets we'll be attaching. Oh and the guest list… we need to finalize the guest list.

We met with a day of coordinator to discuss her services and staffing for the day (bartenders, wait staff, etc). A week from tomorrow I'll also be going to try on dresses for the first time with my good friend Stacey who works at bridal boutique in downtown Seattle. The rest of the planning is going to have to wait until after POOL is over and I have some free time again.

Design Services I just finished up creating a really fun save the date for my good friend Jeni who is getting married this summer. She and her fiance met while commuting on the same bus every day. Three years later he proposed at the bus stop so it seemed only right to go with a Muni theme for the design. I can't wait to post photos of them once she's sent them out to all of her guests.

I also designed Audrey's baby announcement for my sister. With pictures of her adorable little face it wasn't hard to make it a cute design!

The save the date magnets I made for my sister years ago rank really high on google for save the date related key words. Because of this I've been getting inquiries about pricing daily from interested brides to be. I've been trying to keep up with all of those while I move into the design phase with a few of them.

Misc.It's time to start recital dances at the dance studio so I've been editing music, choreographing and mapping out my student's formations.

My sales taxes are due at the end of the month. I have two states to file in this year so that's twice the tax fun. Waaaa I hate this part!

Okay I think I'll stop there. If feels good to get it out on 'paper'. In a whirlwind of todo lists and incoming emails it's nice to reflect a bit and take note of all I've done over the last week!